Clean energy: EGP gains world leadership

This is why the term “sustainability” holds special importance for Enel Green Power, in its daily quest to spread renewables and foster a worldwide energy transformation.

Sustainable development officially became a goal set by the United Nation’s General Assembly when in 2016 it launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be attained by 2030.

These are a set of specific actions that actively engage issues like poverty, hunger, health, energy, urbanization and social justice.

Having reached a global leadership in renewables between 2016 and 2018, Enel Green Power heeds the UN’s call by embedding these SDGs in its corporate strategy, committing specifically on 4 of them: SDG 4, Quality education; SDG 7, Affordable and clean energy; SDG 8, Decent work and economic growth; SDG 13, Climate action.

Since renewables can easily adapt to the power necessities of any market, they represent the perfect answer to this global call for change. 

Showcasing our commitment for sustainable development

After the blazing growth from previous years, the 2016-18 time frame stands out not only for the numbers of its installed capacity, as they unravel in a story of innovation and ingenuity that deliver sustainable development to all territories where Enel Green Power brakes ground with its power plants.

South Africa represents a glaring example of this business model, thanks to the collaboration between EPG and the Mothers2Mothers NGO, taking care of HIV-positive mothers in the province of Limpopo who now have the opportunity to undergo treatment ensuring their newborns are HIV-free.

In Australia, right by the Bungala Solar power plant, we’ve launched a training program dedicated to the aboriginal community. 

Abiding by the Open Power philosophy, EGP is at the forefront in promoting Africa’s sustainable development.

“The most important challenge is to keep pushing forward our business imperatives while keeping sustainability at our core. We’ve chosen to work in Africa and this implies great accountability as this choice has ethical outcomes, because if we sticked with building only power plants in the US desert, this would have betrayed our spirit and values.”

- Luigi La Pegna, EGP Head of O&M

A solid testimony of this wide-ranging scope on sustainability comes from Ethiopia, d the 30th country in the EGP galaxy, benefiting from the 100 MW Metehara solar park.

The country is awash in renewable power, and this potential is key in EGP’s African strategy, also considering its stable regulatory framework based Power Purchase Agreements.

“We’re really proud to invest in Ethiopia, as we’re ready to meet its energy requirements with our knowledge of the renewable energy sector and our commitment towards the country’s development by supporting the wellbeing of local communities with our sustainability programs.”

Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of Enel Green Power

Furthermore, Ethiopia is where we partner with the NGO “Medici con l’Africa CUAMM”, shedding light on an innovative project that calls for a hybrid photovoltaic-battery system to bestow the St. Luke hospital in Wolisso with a reliable energy supply. 

Green light for renewables on the American expansion

Many of our accomplishments come from the American continent.

In Peru, with the Wayra I wind farm going online and the start of the Rubì solar park, Enel Green Power becomes the country’s leading renewable energy provider.

In Guatemala, home of the El Canadà hydroelectric power plant, EGP supports the local business community thanks to business development centers (CEDES) that provide the necessary training to foster the establishment of small-scale craft firms.

Mexico’s “cielito lindo” allows EGP to connect over 1 GW-worth of photovoltaic power to the country’s grid network, ranking as the top renewable energy provider.

The 828 MW Villanueva and 260 MW Don José solar parks were built abiding to the sustainable worksite model, providing for carpentry workshops for local communities that used all scrap wood from the construction process while setting up nature conservation projects.

A further surge in megawatts comes from wind power, through the construction of the Amistad (220), Amistad II (100 ) and Salitrillos (103) wind farms.

Mexico is yet again a protagonist on EGP’s books, implementing the “Build, Sell, Operate” model that allows to lower its indebtedness while retaining the operational management of the aforementioned power plants.

Just a few miles north in the US state of Oklahoma, we fund 8 scholarships that allow students to specialize in wind energy or to continue their academic career in college, thus supporting the immediate needs and future ambitions of the local community.

Backing companies that choose to go sustainable

The world is rapidly changing and recent years have seen the rise of a virtuous circle of sustainability: consumers are shifting their spending towards green companies as these are more than aware on how sustainability is a fundamental part of business.

This veritable paradigm shift finds its fulfillment through initiatives like  RE100, an advocacy group that reunites over 100 among the world’s most influential corporations that have pledged towards meeting 100% of their energy needs with renewable energy.

Having deployed a financial instrument like the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Enel Green Power is a proud partner of influential corporations like Anheuser-Busch, Bloomberg, Facebook and General Motors. Javier Vaquerizo, Head of EGP’s Sales office, defines PPAs as true “long-term partnerships, lasting from ten to thirty years, during which two companies work together on projects of creating shared value and collaborate to spread sustainability.”

“Right now we sell energy to large commercial and industrial clients but in the future, little by little we plan to expand in the retail and - why not - in the household market as the informed choice of individual customers.”

- Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of Enel Green Power

Ready to explore new territories

After having broken ground in Ethiopia, Russia and Australia,  by December 31 2018, EGP’s total installed capacity has topped the 43.5 GW mark.

The key word of these recent times is innovation. EGP is shaking the foundations of the renewable sector through the usage of drones on a large scale and the implementation of big data throughout its wind farms, all leading up to an overall improvement in the management and maintenance of its power plants.

These are the words and numbers that define today’s achievements. While if we need to search for a term that will define EGP’s future, our CEO Antonio Cammisecra seemed to nail it: “We have to keep preserving our trademark pioneering spirit. If we succeed, we’ll keep alive the freshness and openness that defined Enel Green Power since its onset.”

Bon voyage, pioneers!